How vics can fight the sickos

REVENGE PORN ‘A FORM OF ABUSE’

Every couple of months, a new celebrity’s sex tape is shopped around to porn purveyors without his or her consent. Mischa Barton is the latest to fall victim to an opportunist sociopath reportedly peddling a sex tape.

Thirty-five states plus Washington, D.C., have laws criminalizing the nonconsensual distribution of sexual pictures and videos — popularly known as revenge porn.

New York is not one of those states. Why not? Do our lawmakers not care about sexual privacy?

The lack of adequate criminal laws has required our firm, which represents victims of online harassment, sexual assault and blackmail, to get creative. Here are some tips for victims: ARCHIVE Screen-shot everything, write down URLs if they’re on websites. If an impersonating social media account is distributing, record the user name. If it’s happening through texts, take screen shots that record the time they were sent. Retain proof of all other harassment from the offender, too. TAKE DOWN Revenge porn is often distributed on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Those companies have reporting forms on their platforms so victims can remove the content immediately. SECURITY Because of the “fans” who consume revenge porn, victims should fortify their online security immediately by making their social media accounts private, hiding friends or followers lists and selecting new passwords on social media, email, and/or iCloud accounts. REACH OUT Victims should inform close friends and family that someone has violated their privacy and enlist them to help with evidence gathering. REPORT Even though New York does not have a revenge porn law, it doesn’t mean a law has not been broken. STAY TUNED IN Google yourself regularly and don’t forget to check on Google Images as well. GET HELP There are resources to help victims, including the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, Sanctuary for Families and private attorneys. Make use of them.